


Together We Make a Family

by emotionalmorphine



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Background Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Blood, Dad Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-10 21:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12920172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emotionalmorphine/pseuds/emotionalmorphine
Summary: The story of Gabe and his nephew, Jesse, and how they come to be a family.Told through snapshots and the big moments in their lives.





	1. Chapter 1

Jesse peered into the dark room. His hand still clutched tight in his Uncle’s. Uncle Gabe hadn’t let go of it since they got here.

Uncle Gabe flicked the light on and sighed. “I know it’s not much, kiddo, but we’ll get your stuff. We can buy some nice sheets and some toys. Liven it up a bit.”

The room was painted off-white, with a large bed with a metal bed frame in the centre of the room pushed up against the back wall. There was a lamp on the bedside table and a dresser with nothing on it. It wasn’t at all like his room at home which had been painted with oranges and reds, had pillows and a nice duvet on his bed, and had all his toys.

He looked up at Uncle Gabe. “Why did the policemen take Mommy away?” he asked.

Uncle Gabe squeezed his hand and Jesse tried to pull it free without luck. Uncle Gabe’s face did a funny scrunchy thing and he wouldn’t look at Jesse.

“It’s… It’s something we’re sorting out, okay? Don’t you worry about it. You’re just going to be with me a few days and then everything will be back to normal.”

“It’s because Mommy hurt Dad, right?”

Uncle Gabe’s face did that scrunchy thing again and this time he let go of Jesse’s hand. Jesse pulled his hand back and rubbed it, holding it near his chest so that it couldn’t be grabbed again.

“Let’s get you into some clean pjs and into bed. It’s late.”

Mommy hadn’t answered him either. She had hugged him and told him not to look. Her hands had blood on them and she had got it all over the front of his pyjamas.

“‘m not tired,” Jesse said. He hadn’t slept on the car ride, either. It had felt long. Uncle Gabe had tried to talk to him at first but it had been silent most of the way. He hadn’t even turned the radio on.

“It’s late, champ. You’ll nod off once your head hits the pillow.”

Jesse dressed himself in the clean pyjamas from his bag. Mommy had packed it while the policemen watched her. One of the policemen had sat with him in the lounge room and had showed Jesse his badge. Uncle Gabe showed up not long after.

The bed was cold. The mattress hard. But Uncle Gabe pulled up the covers and tucked him in. “If you need anything my room is just across the hall. Just come get me.”

Jesse nodded. He wouldn’t be going to get Uncle Gabe for anything.

With the lights off it was almost pitch black. Jesse didn’t mind sleeping in the dark. He wasn’t afraid. But at home he had a nightlight on the dresser. It was a basketball and if he touched it, it changed colors. He had got it for Christmas last year.

He tucked Mr Wolfy under his arm and rolled over, staring at the blank wall.

He wanted to go home.

* * *

 

He did slip into a sleep at some point because he woke up at dawn, just before the sun started to rise. There was that first dawn light coming in through the blinds and he could just make out the objects in the room.

He yawned and rolled over, kicking the blankets off. Uncle Gabe had showed him the bathroom when they arrived. He slipped out of bed and his feet hit the cold wooden floor. He curled his toes and hurried across the room and slipped out the door.

Everything was silent and Jesse stuck to the edge of the hallway, feet silent as he tiptoed his way to the toilet. He usually wasn’t allowed out of his room at night.

He used the bathroom and winced at the sound the flush made, hoping it wouldn’t wake Uncle Gabe.

He slipped back into the hallway and saw the light on in his Uncle’s room. Cold dread swam over him. He had woken him up.

Jesse froze in the hallway as the door opened and Uncle Gabe stuck his head out and spotted him.

“You okay?” he asked.

Jesse paused. Uncle Gabe wasn’t yelling at him. He nodded slowly and his shoulders relaxed against the wall.

“You need a drink or something? Let’s get you some water.”

Jesse tensed up as Uncle Gabe passed him in the hall. But he didn’t grab Jesse, just walked past him out towards the kitchen. Jesse watched with wide eyes before slinking after him.

The kettle was on the stove when he got to the kitchen and Uncle Gabe was getting a mug from the cupboard.

“You want a hot drink, buddy? I can get you some hot chocolate.”

Jesse shook his head, peering over the bench at his Uncle.

“Alright, here you go then.”

A big glass of cold water was placed in front of him on the bench. Jesse reached up and took it carefully and sipped from the glass, careful not to spill a drop.

He watched as Uncle Gabe made himself a coffee. Sugar but no milk. He didn’t have a little bottle like Dad did to add into the mug. It smelled of coffee and nothing else.

“Do you want to go back to bed?” Uncle Gabe asked.

Jesse looked at him. He should have to go back to bed. He wasn’t allowed to get up before seven.

When he didn’t answer, Uncle Gabe sort of smiled at him, but it didn’t look right, like he wasn’t really smiling.

“Come on, kid. You can watch some cartoons. That always cheers me up.”

Jesse’s eyes went wide. He never got to watch cartoons. He followed Uncle Gabe eagerly into the lounge room. There was a big leather sofa and a huge TV on the wall. Everything was very clean and bare. Uncle Gabe patted the spot next to him on the couch and took Jesse’s glass from him carefully, grabbing a coaster and setting it on the glass coffee table in front of the couch.

Uncle Gabe switched on the TV and flicked to the right channel. Jesse looked at the remote with all its buttons. He’d never seen anyone with cable TV before. He knew there was all kinds of channels and shows that weren’t on normal TV.

“Here you go. You watch what you want.” Uncle Gabe held out the remote.

Jesse took it carefully, watching his Uncle closely. He’d never used the remote before. He wasn’t allowed to touch it at home. But his Uncle was handing it to him. Not that he would change the channel. He would just watch what Uncle Gabe put on. He’d never seen these cartoons anyway.

“You relax and watch some cartoons. I’ll just be in the kitchen if you need me, okay?”

Jesse nodded. He sat stiffly on the couch, not wanting to make any mess. It looked expensive. Their couch at home had patches and dirty marks and stains. There were no stains on this couch.

Gabe smiled at him again but it was like the other smile. Jesse watched him leave out of the corner of his eye before he felt his back and shoulders relax.

He turned to face the TV and some of the tightness left his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

The wall of toys loomed over him, bright colors and packaging on cars and robots and things that promised to light up and make sounds. Jesse had never seen so many toys in one place before. Mommy usually took him to the 99 cent store if he had been really good and he was allowed to pick a toy from there. These were expensive toys, the sort that wouldn’t break the first time he played with them, the sort that had a TV show you could watch while you played.

“See anything you like?” Uncle Gabe asked.

Jesse hugged the pillow he had picked from the bedding section closer to his chest. It was shaped like a star. Uncle Gabe had new sheets and a duvet in the cart, along with some towels all in the blue Jesse liked.

All of this was for him. He had never got so much stuff in one day before. And they had never shopped at a big store like this one.

Uncle Gabe was watching him and Jesse turned his attention back to the shelves of toys. Everything looked like it cost a lot of money and he knew better than to ask for things like that.

“Anything you want, okay, champ?”

Jesse hugged the pillow tighter as he looked over the shelves. Everything was bright and noisy and he felt his tummy start to swim, like there were fish inside of him. He sniffed and the tears sprung to his eyes and spilled over.

“Oh, hey, hey,” Uncle Gabe murmured as he crouched down beside him.

“I’m sorry! Sorry!” Jesse snuffled, trying to force himself to stop crying. But now that he had started it seemed like there were more tears than he could hold inside any more.

Uncle Gabe put his hands gently on Jesse’s shoulders. “Nothing to be sorry for. You’re okay. You’re doing good. You’ve been real brave, you know? I’m very proud of you.”

Jesse didn’t know why but that made his tears run faster down his cheeks and he wiped at them with his sleeve.

Before Jesse could pull away he was being swept into Uncle Gabe’s arms. Uncle Gabe hugged him close. Jesse stiffened in his arms, gasping on his tears and biting his lip.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re doing good. You can cry if you want and I’ll be here for you, okay?” Uncle Gabe whispered against his hair as he gently rocked them side to side.

Jesse felt the tension leave his back and his shoulders sagged. He buried his nose against Uncle Gabe’s shirt. He smelled clean and like laundry detergent, not bitter with smoke and beer.

Before he knew it he had stopped crying. He let Uncle Gabe hold him until his sniffles stopped. He felt very tired, his eyes closing on their own, his arms feeling heavy like weights.

“There we go.” Uncle Gabe let him go slowly. When he smiled at Jesse this time it was happier than Jesse had seen before. Uncle Gabe had seemed so sad these last few days, too.

“I know everything is kind of confusing at the moment, kiddo, but we’ll get through it. I’m gonna look after you and you can look after me, right?”

Jesse nodded and Uncle Gabe wiped at his cheeks with the end of his sweater sleeve. Jesse giggled as Uncle Gabe swiped at his nose and tweaked the end.

“Now, we’ll try again, okay? How about you tell me what you like to do?”

Jesse glanced back at the racks of toys again before turning his focus to Uncle Gabe. “I like animals…”

“Great! Me too. Always wanted a dog, y’know. Let’s go look at some animals, then.”

Jesse didn’t protest when Uncle Gabe took his hand and led him around the many shelves until they came to a section filled with different animal toys, stuffed toys, farming equipment, and barnyard playsets.

“So, which animal is your favorite?” Uncle Gabe asked.

Jesse was about to answer when he spotted a box on the lower shelf. It was a set with three horses. One was a paint, the other the pretty blond color, and a little baby horse.

“Horses, huh? Good choice. Go on, then, you grab that one.”

Jesse looked up at Uncle Gabe with big, wide eyes. “…really?”

“Yeah, really. We’ll start with that and get you some other stuff another time. You’re looking pretty tired and we should get home before dinner.”

Jesse felt himself grin and he let go of Uncle Gabe’s hand so that he could grab the playset off the shelf. He ran his fingers over the back and mane of one of the horses and turned to smile at Uncle Gabe.

He was smiling back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Blood, mentioned murder, minor character death

It had been quiet with Uncle Gabe up until now. Uncle Gabe had taken time off work and he had been with Jesse all day and night. They didn’t talk much but Uncle Gabe let him watch as much TV as he wanted and he could have the cartoons up loud enough to hear. Uncle Gabe watched with him sometimes and some of them made him laugh, too. Jesse liked it when he laughed.

But no one had come to visit and no one had rung (even though Uncle Gabe had been on the phone a lot). So when Jesse heard voices from the kitchen he was naturally curious.

He set aside the Legos he had been building a stable with for the horses. He crept to the door and peeked out into the hallway until he could see towards the kitchen. There was a tall man with blond hair standing with Uncle Gabe. His voice was deep and rough. Jesse tensed his hands on the doorframe, nails biting into the wood.

He couldn’t hear what they were saying but the blond man hugged Uncle Gabe and they stood like that for a moment.

“Jesse!”

Jesse jumped and reared back into his room. Maybe they had seen him spying? But no one yelled at him or said anything else except for his name again. He slunk out of his room and Uncle Gabe smiled at him and ushered him closer.

“This is— This is my friend, Jack.”

The blond man - Jack - looked at Uncle Gabe and his lips quirked like he wanted to laugh.

“Hello,” Jesse said but didn’t come any closer. Jack was very big, with muscles even maybe bigger than Uncle Gabe’s. He must be an Army man, too, Jesse concluded.

“Hey, sport. Gabe has been telling me all about you.”

Jesse didn’t reply. He curled his hands into fists, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Jack looked at Uncle Gabe and then back to him. “I hope you don’t mind me visiting.”

Jesse slowly shook his head.

“Good. That’s good. Gabe said you like watching animal documentaries so I got you a little something.” Jack moved and Jesse had to force himself not to jump. He clung to his shirt tighter as Jack came closer, holding out a book for him.

“It’s okay. You can take it,” Uncle Gabe said.

Jesse slowly released the fabric between his fingers and reached out for the book. It had lions on the cover. He took it carefully and brought it closer so he could see. He couldn’t read the words on the front cover yet (he only just learned how to write his name in kindergarten and could read the alphabet) but the picture was nice.

“Thank you,” Jesse murmured and held the book close.

“How about we go read it in the lounge room?” Uncle Gabe said. “I’ve got some lemonade in the fridge we can share.”

Jesse nodded and backed up a few steps away from Jack and Uncle Gabe.

“Poor kid. Shy one, he is,” Jesse heard Jack say as he hurried away from them.

* * *

 

They had stayed up watching a documentary on the North Pole and penguins. Uncle Gabe and Jack made fish sticks and peas for dinner and they ate in the lounge room in front of the TV (special occasions only, Uncle Gabe said). Jesse took his new book and put it carefully in his new bookshelf with the couple other books he had now. Uncle Gabe had tucked him in and gave him a hug and told him, like he usually did, that if he needed anything he could come get them.

Jesse had dropped off to sleep almost right away, still thinking of penguins and the cold ice and snow. When he woke up it was still dark and the clock on the wall had moved another hour or so (Jesse was still having trouble reading the time. He knew the small hand but not the big one). He pushed down his duvet and slipped out of bed. The door never creaked in this house so he could easily step out into the hallway without being heard.

“They refused bail. Maria’s going to be stuck in there until we can sort this out,” Uncle Gabe said and Jesse froze when he heard his Mommy’s name.

Uncle Gabe hadn’t told him anything except that he couldn’t go home just yet. But he hadn’t answered when Jesse asked whether the policemen would bring her back soon.

“Her lawyer said they are charging her with murder. Which is bullshit, Jack. It’s bullshit. She would have never planned this. And it’s obvious that kid has been mistreated. He’s so cagey, he barely talks, and jumps at the slightest noise. He’s ended up in tears over the simplest of things. That son of a bitch was probably beating the shit outta him. If he wasn’t dead I’d take it into my own hands. Good riddance.”

Jesse leaned against the wall, hidden in the hallway as he listened. He knew it wasn’t right to listen to grown-ups talking but no one was telling him anything! He had seen Mommy stab his Dad with the knife. Dad had fallen down and hadn’t got back up when his Mommy pulled him out of the room with blood on her hands.

Jesse didn’t feel sad that Dad wasn’t coming back. He didn’t know how he felt. Sort of squirmy and uncomfortable but not sad.

“Can the kid testify?” Jack asked. Jesse didn’t know what that meant.

“I doubt it. Just getting him to ask for food when he’s hungry is hard enough. I don’t think he’s going to talk to anyone else about what Jamie did to him. I was surprised we got two words outta him with you.”

“Just my winning personality, I guess,” Jack said and Uncle Gabe chuckled and knocked him in the shoulder affectionately. Jesse watched with his head peeked around the corner. They were silent, just holding hands. Jack looked like he liked Uncle Gabe a lot. He brushed back a curl of Uncle Gabe’s hair and then leaned in to kiss him.

Jesse pursed his lips as he watched. Jack must be Uncle Gabe’s boyfriend, he decided, not just a friend. He wondered why Uncle Gabe didn’t tell him.

He left them alone then. He shouldn’t be spying like that. It was rude. He went to the bathroom, then washed his hands and slipped back into his room and bed, pulling up the covers. He could just hear the quiet sounds of Jack and Uncle Gabe talking, but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Uncle Gabe hadn’t sounded very happy, though. He was angry at Jesse’s Dad and he sounded like he was angry with the policemen, too. They had taken Mommy away and still hadn’t brought her back and Jesse knew why. People who hurt other people with knives or guns went to jail. They had to stay in jail and couldn’t come home. Bad people went to jail.

But his Mommy wasn’t bad…was she? He remembered the blood on her hands and the pool on the yellowing linoleum floor. They had been arguing and then Mommy had the knife. It had happened so fast Jesse couldn’t really remember when she stabbed Dad. Just that Dad was falling over and his Mommy was crying and then hugging him.

He frowned. His Mommy wasn’t bad. So they must be letting her go home soon.

He would see her soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Implied child abuse
> 
> The official events of Overwatch have been recycled to suit my needs.

 

Jesse tapped his shoes together as the scenery whizzed by outside the window. Uncle Gabe was quiet again. It was often quiet. Jesse didn’t mind the quiet so much. Things had never been very quiet.

The radio was on low and Jesse could just hear someone talking but he wasn’t paying attention and neither was Uncle Gabe.

The car slowed and they turned off onto a smaller street, and then another, until Uncle Gabe pulled in to the parking lot of a big apartment complex. It was clean and had a gate at the entrance. It probably had a pool. He liked swimming, especially in summer, but the public pools weren’t very nice.

The gates slid open and Uncle Gabe drove them into the carpark slowly. The cars inside were all shiny and new, brands that Jesse knew from car shows Dad sometimes watched and he listened to from his room, occasionally sneaking a peek from his doorway.

“I’m sorry I have to do this,” Uncle Gabe said. “But you’ll like Ana, I promise. And Fareeha will be there to play with, too. It’s just… The base obviously can’t function without me.” He gave a small laugh and shook his head.

“I’ll be okay,” Jesse said. He wouldn’t cause Ana any problems or get into trouble and Uncle Gabe would be back to get him tomorrow. He promised.

“I would’ve liked you to meet them first. They’ll look after you and if you want you can ring any time, got it?”

Jesse nodded. He had Uncle Gabe’s number in a book in his bag. He wouldn’t ring.

“Okay, champ. Let’s go.”

Jesse followed Uncle Gabe into the building past the man standing behind a polished desk who nodded to them as they passed. The elevators had shiny doors with mirrored panels on each side and when they slid open there were more mirrors inside. Jesse stepped in and hung onto the rail, staring at himself.

“You’re gonna need a haircut soon,” Uncle Gabe said and ruffled Jesse’s hair.  
Jesse screwed up his nose. He hated getting his hair cut.

The elevator stopped at the eighth floor and the doors slid open to reveal the quiet hallway. There was no noise coming from neighbours or people talking outside to visitors like most of the apartment buildings Jesse was used to. The hallway was carpeted here.

They stopped at number 20 and Jesse stepped behind Uncle Gabe as he knocked on the door. There was a doorbell, but he didn’t use it.

The woman who opened the door was not what Jesse was expecting. She had long, dark hair in a braid over her shoulder, and was wearing a loose scarf over her head like Jesse had seen some women wear before.

She had an eyepatch.

Jesse stared at her. He knew he wasn’t supposed to stare.

“Gabriel, you bring me your little charge. And isn’t he sweet?” Ana looked down at Jesse and smiled. Her smile was bright and happy and Jesse leaned out past Uncle Gabe’s legs a little more.

“Thank you for taking him for the weekend. The base is on my ass. I was hoping to get off until Jesse goes to school but…”

Jesse looked up at Uncle Gabe. School wasn’t for at least another month or so. He would be going to first grade this year. Mommy wouldn’t be gone that long...would she?

Jesse furrowed his brows and looked at the carpet beneath his yellow shoes. He could feel the burning hot sting in his eyes. Mommy was supposed to be coming back soon. Uncle Gabe said so.

Uncle Gabe’s hand landed on his shoulder and Jesse jumped, cringing away until the hand was gone. Uncle Gabe didn’t make a big deal of it. He never did.

“Come inside. Fareeha has just finished her breakfast and we’re watching some cartoons.”

Ana ushered them into the apartment and closed the door behind them. It was nice and cool inside like Uncle Gabe’s home, though more cluttered. Uncle Gabe’s place was very tidy and there wasn’t much furniture or pictures, but Ana’s apartment looked...like a home. There were lots of pictures on the walls of her and a young girl with a short bob of hair. Pictures of a man and Ana, and pictures of what Jesse knew were the pyramids in Egypt. He looked around from one thing to the next as Ana led them into the main room.

There on the rug in front of the TV sat the girl in all the pictures. She was leaning forward on her knees as something happened on the TV. Jesse stayed at Uncle Gabe’s side.

“Fareeha, come say hello.”

The girl looked up. She broke into a huge smile and stumbled to her feet in her rush to come over. She was shorter than Jesse was, who was quite tall for his age his Mommy always said, and she had to be younger than him.

“Hello!” She smiled at him and stuck her hand out, like she had been shown to do by an adult or had maybe learned from TV. Jesse had never shaken someone’s hand before. When he held out his hand, Fareeha grabbed it and shook vigorously, squeezing hard enough that Jesse winced. She might be smaller than him but she was tough. He took back his bruised hand and held it against his chest.

“And how are you, young miss?” Uncle Gabe asked.

Fareeha laughed. “I’m not a young miss! I’m Pharah!”

Ana sighed and said something in a language that Jesse hadn’t heard and definitely didn’t understand. “This is her new name,” she said.

Uncle Gabe raised his eyebrow. “Pharah, huh? Well Miss Pharah, I need you to do me a special favour and look after Jesse, you hear?”

Pharah stood straight and she raised her hand and saluted Uncle Gabe. Uncle Gabe laughed and saluted her back. It was obviously a game of theirs. Jesse bit at his cheek. Maybe he and Uncle Gabe could do that, too?

“Alright, I’ve got to move. Jesse, remember you can ring any time. Be good for Ana and have fun with Fareeha, okay?”

Jesse nodded. Uncle Gabe ruffled his shaggy hair again and Ana escorted him to the door. A strange feeling settled in his belly, something heavy and pressing that tried to rise up into his throat. He gripped his bag tighter by the strap and watched as the door closed.

“You wanna watch cartoons?” Fareeha asked.

Jesse looked back at her. She was still smiling at him. She turned and gestured over to the spot on the rug she had been occupying previously. Jesse didn’t know the cartoon that was on but he sat down near her, holding his backpack in his lap.

“Uncle Gabe said I have to be really nice to you but I think I will anyway because you look fun,” Fareeha said, her eyes still glued to the TV as she spoke. “I don’t have many friends.”

“Why not?” Jesse asked quietly.

Fareeha shrugged. “Everyone is old. And I’ll make more friends at school when I go. I’m starting kindy this year!” She seemed very proud of the fact.

“I start first grade,” Jesse said.

“Are you going to stay with Gabe? Because then we can be friends.”

“I don’t know…” Jesse said. The burning prickled again at his eyes.

* * *

 

Fareeha had fallen asleep ages ago and Jesse was still facing the wall in the darkness. The spare bed was comfortable and it wasn’t too hot or cold but he couldn’t sleep. He hadn’t been able to forget what Uncle Gabe said.

School was just over a month away at the end of summer. His Mommy had been collecting things in a big box for him to take when he started like a new lunchbox and books and some cool pens they had got on sale. The school was a short walk from their house. It was a big grey building with steps leading up to the main doors and bars over the windows all around the front. They had walked past sometimes so Jesse could see the kids playing outside during lunch of after school.

His Mommy said she was so proud that he was going to first grade.

If he didn’t go home, would he still go to school? Maybe Uncle Gabe couldn’t send him and he would have to stay at home or with Miss Ana and Fareeha.

He slipped out of the bed and tiptoed into the hallway, leaving a snoring Fareeha behind. He froze when he saw the lounge light on. He turned to hurry back to bed but Ana’s head popped up over the couch and she spotted him.

“Is there anything wrong?” she asked, standing.

Jesse shook his head quickly and took another step back.

“You probably cannot sleep, am I correct? Strange house, and Fareeha snoring as she does. Come, come sit with me.”

Jesse looked at the couch and then back at Ana. She gestured him over. He couldn’t go back to bed now. He slunk over to her side and she had him sit on the couch.

“Wait here for one moment. I have something that will make you feel better.”

Jesse did as he was told. Uncle Gabe said he had to listen to Miss Ana and be good. Uncle Gabe was counting on him to do the right thing. He wiggled his bare feet back and forth as he waited, watching the clock pendulum swing back and forth. It was past 10.

“Here, try this. Careful, it’s hot.” Ana held out a mug for him. It wasn’t steaming but it smelled of warm milk and cinnamon, and some other spices Jesse didn’t know.

He took the mug and brought it close. It was nice to warm his hands on. He blew over the drink before taking an experimental sip.

It wasn’t like anything he’d had before. Warm and spicy, creamy and sweet.

“Here it’s just called Chai. It is a particular spice blend. Fareeha often has one when she cannot sleep. Now, is there anything you want to tell me about?”

Jesse looked up at her. She sat on the edge of the couch next to him, close enough that her knee touched his. He was very careful not to spill his drink when he shook his head.

Ana smiled and hummed. “I see. You must be feeling very out of place. It must not be easy to be away from home and everything familiar for the first time.”

Jesse didn’t say anything, but he also didn’t look up at her. The tight feeling in his tummy and chest was back.

“Gabriel has told me what happened. He is worried about you, you understand. He cares for you very much. He will do anything he is able to keep you safe and happy.”

“I want to go home,” Jesse whispered into his mug. He hadn’t felt it so strongly before. He wanted to go home, to his own house and his own bed, even if Mommy and Dad were yelling and throwing things, even if sometimes he got hit or went hungry. He wanted to go home.

Fat tears fell from his eyes and ran down his cheeks. Ana took a hanky from her pocket and brushed his cheeks gently, making soothing sounds as he cried.

“You are a very good, very brave boy. Gabriel loves you and he will care for you. You needn’t worry.”

Ana took his mug from him and placed it on the table. Jesse’s hands immediately went to wipe at his eyes, trying to stifle tears as more ran down his face.

“Mommy’s… she’s not… Mommy’s not coming home, is she?” Jesse asked and looked up at Miss Ana.

“No. Not for some time. That is why you must be brave. Gabriel is your family and you will never be alone. You are a strong boy, I can tell.”

Jesse doubled over and buried his head in his arms. Mommy wasn’t coming home. He wasn’t going home. There was no home. Dad was...dead. Mommy was in jail. There was no home.

He felt Ana’s hand on his shoulder and she was carefully rubbing his back. He couldn’t stop the tears from running down his face.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series of little fics that will explore Jesse and Gabe and how they become a family. It won’t be a traditional fic, per se, but told through little snapshots of their lives.
> 
> I will be taking suggestions and prompts over on my [Tumblr!](http://emotionalmorphine.tumblr.com/)


End file.
